Type-writing machine.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

E. G. LATTA. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. B, 1902.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMIT G. LATTA, OF FRIENDSHIP, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARVEYA. MOYER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

)zatented May 22, 1906.

Application tiled September 8, 1902-. Serial No. 122,476.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMMIT G. LATTA, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Friendship, in the county of Allegany and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Type-VVritingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in type-writing machines, andmore particularly to antifriction-bearings for the swing ing type-bars.

he object of the invention is to produce a self-centering bearing ofsimple inexpensive construction in which an untrue or inaccuratealinement or relative adjustment of the bearing-surfaces for thetype-bars will not prevent a free movement of the type-bars and will notcause a binding or strain on the bearing.

Another object is the provision of means for quickly and easilyadjusting the hearings to take up wear or for other-reasons, which willhave the minimum tendency to disturb the correct relative position ofthe parts of the bearings, and Wlll enable ample adjustment to correctthe bearings and take up the wear after long usage.

The object of the invention is accomplished principally in the provisionof opposable spherical bearingrsurfaces for the antifrictio'nbearing-balls for the type-bars and means which acts in the axial lineof the bears for adjusting them toward each other.

in the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is afront elevation of the type-bar segment of a type-writing machineprovided with .bearings embodying the invention, a portion only of thebars and bearings being shown, part in section and part in elevation,with the outer ends of the type-bars broken away. Fig. 2 is a transversesectional elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view thereof,showing the hangers in elevation and section. Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryelevation, partly in section, of a segment and hangers of a slightlydifferent form. Fig. 5 is a section in line 5 5, Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of adjacent hangers and type-bars,illustrating the manner of removing a hanger.

In the drawings the invention is shown as applied to a front-striketype-writer; but the improvements are also applicable to a machine inwhich the rintingoint is either above or below the platen. Xny number oftype-bars can be employed, and they can be arranged in more than one rowwhere a large number of bars are employed.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A represents the type-barsupport or segment, which is curved concentric with the printing-pointand is secured on the typewriter frame (not shown) by suitable means,such as bolts passing through lugs a at the ends and center of thesegment. B represents the type-bars, and O the bearing-hangers for thetype-bars. Each hanger has a substantially U-shaped securing portion orshank c, which is secured to the segment by a screw 0, passing throughthe loop formed by the separated legs of the shank, with its headbearing on the outer edges of the legs. The shank of the screw is ofless diameter than the width of the space between the legs of the shankto permit the hanger to be adjusted laterally of itself or lengthwise ofthe segment, as hereinafter described. Each hanger is also provided.with opposable bearing-sure faces 0 at the front ends of the legs of theshank. Each type-bar is provided at its inner end with a circular enlarement, which is arranged between the two bearing-surfaces of the hangerand is provided with an internal V-shaped groove, having a circular rowof balls, which bear on the opposable bearingsurfaces of the hanger. Thebearin -sun faces of the hanger are preferably hemispherical in form,and the legs of the hanger are capable of springing apart sufficientlyto enable the bearing end oi the type-bar .to be sprung into placebetween the bearin -surfaces of the hanger, which bearing-surfacesspring together ano bear against the balls in the type-bar. The hangersare preferably arranged, as shown, side by side on the outer conveXedperiphery of the segment in two groups on opposite sides of a stop orabutment D at the center of the segment. The hangers are provided on theouter sides of their bearing ends with hemispherical sockets. Thesockets of the adjacent hangers form seats for retaining-balls F, whichtransmit or resist the movement of the hangers in adjustin the bearings.The end abutments E are ad ustably mounted on the segment in anysuitable mannerfor instance, by screws 6, passing through elongatedslots in the abutments-and each abutment is provided with ahemispherical projection,which seats in the outer socket of the adjacenthanger. To adjust the hangers, the securing-screws therefor and theholding-screws of the end abutments are loosened and the latter movedtoward the center stop, so as to crowd or press the hangers together.The movement is transmitted from one han ;er to the next by theretaining-balls F. A ter the proper adjust- I ment is secured theabutments and hangers are firmly secured in position by tightening theirholding-screws. The center stop also is preferably designed to spreadthe hangers apart at the center of the segment or force the hangers inopposite directions toward the end abutments in order to take up thewear or play when it occurs in a bearing or bearings near the center, soas not to disturb all of the bearings. The center stop (shown in Fig. 1)consists of a bolt d, having a hemispherical head seated in the socketof the adjacent hanger, and a nut d, which is screwed on said bolt andprovided with a hemispherical head which engages in the inner socket ofthe adjacent hanger. The nut is provided with an angular portion adaptedto be engaged by a wrench or tool to turn the nut, and the bolt isprovided with a flat-faced projection which engages the segment to holdthe bolt from turning. By turning the nut the hangers are forced fromthe center toward the end stops. This adjustable center stop isdesirable also to supplement the adjustment by the end stops when thewear in the bearings is considerable, for the movement of the severalhangers is limited by the width of their shanks, and if the necessarymovement in one group of hangers is greater than the movement of whichone hanger is capable a proper adjustment could not be effected by theend stops only. To prevent the hangers from twisting on theirsecuring-screws or moving transversely on the segment, the latter isprovided in its outer face with a groove g, in which engage lugs orprojections g on the rear ends of the hangers. It is not neces sary todetach or disturb all of the hangers to effect the removal of aparticular one; but this can be accomplished by loosening one of the endstops or the center stop and the securing-screws for the hammers betweensuch stop and the hanger to be removed and shifting the loosened hangerslaterally. Suflicient space can thus be secured to effect the removal ofthe desired hanger.

It is a matter of considerable difliculty and expense to make thebearing-surfaces for the small type-bar ball-bearings where they are ofcone form and properly adjust them so that the axes of both cones areexactly coincident with the axial line of the hearing or to preservethis exact relative position of the cones during long usage and repeatedadjustments, and if the exact position of the cones is not maintainedthey will pinch or bind the balls at one side. By the use of thehemispherical instead of conical bearing-surfaces on the hangers thebearing-surfaces are selfcentering and the balls seat themselvesperfectly on whichever portions of the surfaces come in contact withthem and work just as freely if one or both of the bearing-surfaces isout of true position as they would with both bearingsurfaces exactlycentered on the axial line of the bearing. The plane of the circular rowof balls is changed slightly with a change in the relative position ofthe two bearing-surfaces; but the bearing-surfaces will not bind orpinch the balls at one side, as would be the casewithbearing-cones,unless the latter were exactly alined. The movement of the type and ofthe type-bar out of its correct printing position by an inaccuracy inthe bearing can be readily corrected by slightly bending or deflectingthe type-bar. As stated, the bearingsurfaces described areself-centering, and as the adjusting devices exert their pressure on thehangers in the axial line of the bearings there is little or no tendencyto disturb the proper relative position of the bearing-surfaces. Theconstruction described is. simple and inexpensive, for the hangers canbe made by stamping or pressing from sheet metal, and separate adjustingdevices for the several bearings is not necessary. The hollowhemispherical or cup-shape bearing ends of the hangers are easily madeof uniform hardness throughout by case-hardening, which could not bereadily done if the bearing ends were of solid section. For such reasonsthis construction is a desirable one. The advantageous features of theinvention, however, can be secured by other' forms of hangerssuch, forinstance, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

It is obvious that the hangers may be in the form of posts havingspherical heads and also that it is not necessary for the heads orbearing-surfaces to be complete spheres or hemispheres so long as thoseportions of the bearing-surfaces on which the balls run or are liable torun after adjustments of the hangers are spherically curved or areportions of spheres. Thus in the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5the, hangers K have heads k, the sides of which are of sphericalcurvature, while the central portion connecting the heads are madecylindrical to permit the edges of the ball-races in the type-bars tofit closely around them to make the bearings as nearly dust-proof aspossible. In'the construction shown in these figures the hangers projectradially from the segment toward the printing-point. They are held onthe segment by angular lugs is on the hangers engaging in agroove in thesegment and screws k which pass through elongated slots in the shanks ofthe hangers. The bearings are adjusted by end and center abutmentsbearing against the heads of the hangers in the manner described inconnection with the other construction shown. Any one of the hangersshown in Figs. 4 and 5 can be detached without disturbing the others byremoving its securing-screw and lifting the hanger. The two type-barssupported by the hanger will rock on the bearing-surfaces of the adjacent hangers to permit such movement of the hanger which is beingremoved I and bearing on said bearing-heads, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a type-writing ma chine, of a series of vibratingtype-bars, a series of hangers providing substantially sphericalbearing-heads for the type-bars each of which heads is formed by twoadjacent hangers and. extends between and partially supports twoadjacent type-bars, and a circular row of balls carried by each type-barand bearing on said bearing-heads, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a type-writing machine, of a series of vibratingtype-bars, a series of hangers providing bearing-heads each of whichextends between and partially supports the bearing ends of two adjacenttypebars, and a circular row of bearing-balls carried by one of saidbearing parts and bearing on an integral bearing-face on the otherbearing part, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a writing-machine having a series of vibratingtype-bars, and hangers therefor arranged in a segment and laterallyadjustable, of means for adjusting the hangers from the central part ofthe segment toward its ends, substantially as set forth. 4

5. The combination in a writing-machine having a series of vibratingtype-bars, a supporting-segment, and type-bar hangers arranged side byside on said segment and laterally adjustable thereon, of means foradjusting the hangers from the central part of the segment outwardly,and from its ends inwardly, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a writing-machine of a series of vibratingtype-bars each containing a row of bearing-balls, a segment,a series ofhangers supported by and independently secured to said. segment andhavin opposable laterally-adjustable bearing-sur aces for thebearing-balls, each hanger being adapted to be detached from the segmentwithout removing its neighbor, and means for adjusting the bearings bymoving the hangers along the segment, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination in a writing-machine having a series of vibratingtype-bars, of a series of U-shaped hangers supporting the bars in asegment at their free ends, and having their adjoining ends connected,with means for closing the ends of the hangers by crowding them intocloser contact, substantially as set forth. I

8. The combination in a writing-machine having a series of vibratingtype-bars, of a series of U -shaped hangers supporting the bars at theirfree ends, and having said ends in contact, with means for closing theends of the hangers by crowding them together, substantially as setforth.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of vibratingtype-bars, each containing a circular row of bearing-balls, and a seriesof U-shaped hangers each formed of a single piece of sheet metal andhaving a pair of opposable center bearings and adapted to be sprung intooperative position with the balls, substantially as set forth.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of vibratingtype-bars, each containing a circular row of bearing-balls, and a seriesof hangers, each having a pair of opposable center bearings for theballs, and each hanger in direct contact with the neighboring hangerwhereby the bearings are held against lateral movement, substantially asset forth.

11. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of vibratingtype-bars, each containing a circularrow of bearing-balls, and a seriesof hangers each having hollow or cup-shape bearings for the balls, and aconnectingball arranged in the hollow parts of adjoining hangers,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 26th day of August, 1902.

EMMIT G. LATTA. Witnesses:

E. A. HEWITT, I W. A. STEVENS.

